Relay



C. M. BARNES Nov. 14, 1939.

RELAY Filed Aug. 9, 1938 QINVENTOR CHARLES M. BARNES ATTORNEY Patented Nov. 14, 1939 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 3 Claims.

(Granted under the act of March 3, 1883, as amended April 30, 1928; 370 G. 757) This invention relates to an electric relay and has for an object to provide an improved relay sensitive to extremely small currents.

A further object of this invention is to provide a relay which may be adjusted to either of two positions, in one of which the relay will automatically reset itself as often as desired, and in the other of which the relay will remain in continuous operation once it is operated until it is manually reset.

With the foregoing and other objects in view, the invention consists in the construction, combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter described and illustrated in the drawing, in

which,

Fig. 1 is a schematic view of the relay adjusted for non-resetting position; and

Fig. 2 is a similar view of the relay adjusted for resetting position.

Many uses are possible with this invention but it is here illustrated as being adjusted for two possible uses, one use being to indicate that a door has been opened and thus actuate a burglar alarm continuously even though the door has been closed again, and in the other use it is shown as merely indicating that the door is open or shut.

In the first use, shown in Fig. 1, a closed circuit N is connected through a door II and a current supply |2 to energize a solenoid l3 having an armature l4 held thereagainst so long as the closed circuit I0 is unbroken While the door remains closed. The armature I4 is mounted at an angle 22 on the end of a bent lever l5 extending from an arm |6 pivoted as at H. A switch lever l8 pivoted as at I9 is provided at one end with a roller 20 which presses against the under side of the bent lever |5 while the armature I4 is in position against the solenoid IS. The other end of lever I8 is provided with a strong spring 2| urging the roller 20 on the end of lever l8 beyond the angle 22 connecting the lever I5 and armature l4. Also carried by the end of the lever |8 adjacent the spring 2| is an electric contact 23 adapted to be closed against the contact 24 and thus actuate an alarm bell or other indicating means 25 when the circuit through the solenoid I3 is broken by the door I I being opened and the lever I8 being urged by the spring 2| to the position shown against the stop 26 mounted in the position 21.

If the lever l5 and armature l4 are in such a position that gravity will not normally return the armature H to the position adjacent the solenoid I3, then a weak spring 28 may be attached to the endof the arm IS, the spring 28 being considerably weaker than the spring 2| so that it will not interfere with the operation of the spring 2|. As thus adjusted once the door I is opened an alarm or indicator 25 will be actuated and remain in 5 operation, irrespective of the door being reclosed, until the relay lever I8 is manually reset by being drawn away from the stop 26 removing the roller 20 to the other side of the angle 22 between armature l4 and lever I5. 10

If it is desired to use the alarm bell or indi cator 25 as merely a signal indicating whether the door II is open or shut, then stop 26 will be adjusted so as to be mounted in position 29. In this position, as illustrated in Fig. 2, the roller 16 20 will not go beyond the angle 22 when the door H is opened, the contacts 23 and 24 being adjusted if necessary so as to complete the circuit before the roller 20 has passed angle 22. As thus shown in Fig. 2, reclosing the door II will com- 20 plete the circuit through circuit Ill and actuate the solenoid i3 to draw armature l4 thereagainst and break the circuit between contacts 23 and 24, thus resetting the relay and stopping the operation of the indicator 25, showing that the door 25 has been reclosed.

Other modifications and changes in the proportions and arrangements of the parts may be made by those skilled in the art without departing from the nature of the invention, within the 30 range of what is hereinafter claimed.

The invention described herein may be manufactured and used by or for the Government of the United States of America for governmental purposes without the payment of any royalties 35 thereon or therefor.

Having thus set forth and disclosed the nature of this invention, what is claimed is:

1. An electric relay comprising a solenoid, an armature for said solenoid, a pivoted bent lever 40 on which said armature is mounted at an angle,

a pivoted switch lever having one end in contact with the bent lever mounting of said armature and carrying a circuit closing contact at its other end whereby said switch lever may close the cir- 45 cuit when said armature is released by said solenoid, and stopping means limiting the travel of the free end of the switch lever along said armature mounting lever, said stopping means stopping the free end of the switch lever before it 50 reaches the angle in the mounting lever whereby the solenoid. may reattract the armature to reset the relay.

2. An electric relay comprising a solenoid, an armature for said solenoid, a pivoted bent lever 55 on which said armature is mounted at an angle, a pivoted switch lever having a free end in contact with the bent lever mounting of said armature and carrying a circuit closing contact at its other end whereby said switch lever may close the circuit when said armature is released by said solenoid, and stopping means limiting the travel of the free end of the switch lever along said armature mounting lever, said stopping means stopping the travel of the free end of the switch lever after it has passed the angle between the armature and the mounting lever to block off the return of the armature to the solenoid until the switch lever has been manually reset.

3. An electric relay comprising a solenoid, an armature for said solenoid, a pivoted bent lever on which said armature is mounted at an angle, a pivoted switch lever having a free end in contact with the bent lever mounting of said armature and carrying a circuit closing contact at its other end whereby said switch lever may close the circuit when said armature is released by said solenoid, and stopping means adjustable to either of two positions limiting the travel of the free end of the switch lever along said armature mounting lever, said stopping means when adjusted in one position stopping the free end of the switch lever before it reaches the angle in the mounting lever whereby the solenoid may reattract the armature to reset the relay, said stopping means when adjusted in the other position stopping the travel of the free end of the switch lever after it has passed the angle between the armature and the mounting lever to block off the return of the armature to the solenoid until the switch lever has been manually reset.

CHARLES M. BARNES. 

